38 pages • 1 hour read
Eric WeinerThe Geography of Bliss
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2008A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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The Atlas of Bliss
Much of The Geography of Bliss is built on the metaphor of an atlas, a map that could direct people to happiness. This connection between maps and happiness reflects longstanding notions about an association between happiness and specific geographic locations. Weiner writes that people “speak of searching for happiness, of finding contentment, as if these were locations in an atlas, actual places that we could visit if only we had the proper map and the right navigational skills” (3). The book follows his attempt to create and follow his own atlas of bliss, by evaluating his personal preferences as well as statistical data on happiness in certain cultures, pulled from the World Database on Happiness. This leads him to visit locations like Switzerland and the Netherlands, which report relatively high levels of happiness.
Drugs
Certain drugs, like alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco, are often associated with happiness, particularly when consumed in social or communal settings. Weiner regularly uses societally acceptable drugs in the book, seeking but rarely finding an enduring sense of happiness. The book suggests moderate consumption is key to deriving happiness from drugs. It also suggests that culture can be just as important as moderation. In the Netherlands, where it is legal, Weiner smokes hashish. In numerous countries he drinks coffee and alcoholic beverages. Many of the interviews take place at cafes and bars. Numerous interviewees smoke tobacco. In India, Weiner visits an ashram where he cannot drink alcohol or caffeine, which makes him unhappy. Consuming drugs in a permissive culture, or living somewhere that is rooted in tolerance, is more likely to spark happiness than consuming or living somewhere that is restrictive or intolerant.
Money
Money is often referenced as a possible source of happiness. However, money does not produce happiness after a certain amount of wealth is reached. Instead, trust produces more happiness.
Switzerland has large amounts of money; however, the people there are merely content. The US has large amounts of money, but does not have as much happiness as other countries, including Switzerland. Countries with less wealth, such as Bhutan, are in many cases happier than wealthier countries. Bhutan measures its happiness through the Gross National Happiness index, a measure at odds with traditional economic measures, such as Gross Domestic Product. Qatar, a country with recent oil wealth, does not seem very happy to Weiner, but some residents say that their Muslim faith produces happiness.
Moldova, a relatively poor country, has low happiness. Many Moldovans say that they are unhappy because of insufficient money. However, Weiner does encounter happy Moldovans. Weiner says that lack of money itself does not produce unhappiness, but envy and lack of trust do.
India, another relatively poor country, has low happiness scores in Veenhofen’s database. However, people in the country seem happier, and westerners visit India seeking happiness.
